Math Autobiography
I have very vague memories of my time in K to 6. I remember that I did like math class better than any other class. I don’t recall any particular math classes but I remember that we used text books. In K to grade three they were consumables and I loved working in those. When we got to grade four we had hard cover text books and all our work had to be completed in exercise books. Assessment in elementary consisted of unit tests which I always scored well on. My teachers explained concepts from the front of the room using the board and then assigned practice questions for the class to complete. My teachers would go from desk to desk helping anyone who needed help. I don’t remember any of my teachers showing any passion for math class. I got the impression that it was just something they had to teach.
One of my worst memories was at the beginning of grade ten. I had changed schools and had signed up for honors math because I felt I could do it. The principal came into my class, knelt down in front of my desk and said he thought I should do academic math not honors. I was so intimidated and embarrassed that he was expressing this IN my class with all the other students present that I just nodded my head and it was done. I was put in academic math. I excelled in this math, scoring high A’s but no one ever suggested that I do honors math. Even though I did so well in academic math, this situation caused me to believe that I wasn’t good enough at math to continue with any higher level. Therefore when I began university I shied away from as much math as possible.
When I look back at this situation I wonder if it had something to do with socio-economics. My dad had become ill and our family was forced to rely on social assistance throughout my high school years. I had to bring a ‘welfare slip’ to school to get my books. Students with slips were looked at as having lower potential intelligence and lower potential for future success.
After my children were born, I became interested in math again. All three of my sons had a natural ability for numbers and problem solving using patterns and numbers. All three are math lovers. My eldest is working as a mechanical engineer in Medicine Hat, Alberta, my middle son is in his 5th year of mechanical engineering at MUN, and my youngest who graduates this school year as decided he too wishes to study engineering because it is using math. These three young men are my success stories of the importance of math. Working with my own children throughout their young years and seeing their passion for math sparked my passion for math again.
I love to teach math more than any other subject. Science is my second favourite to teach. I love how we can now use a hands-on approach. There are so many manipulatives that we can use to help children learn math and to have fun while doing it today that wasn’t available when I attended elementary.
What both surprises and frustrates me is the number of 8 and 9 year olds who already hate math when they get to my class. I hope that I can be a part of rekindling the love of math in the students that I teach. I think that allowing children more choice in the strategies they choose to solve a problem, the use of manipulatives, and peer/group working will help spark the interest. I can’t change the world in a day but I can help one child at a time.
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